High Life Decoded: Summer Wine Myths, Debunked

As if wine-drinking weren’t burdened with enough confusion already, the warm weather brings with it an additional laundry list of half-remembered rules and misunderstood styles. Rosés and Beaujolais are like mindless summer flings, right? And chilling red wine, even when it’s hot as hell, is for newbs, isn’t it? And what about the old white-with-fish rule—must it dictate my cookout steez all season long?!

Forget what you know: Too many of these accepted notions, it turns out, are based on oversimplifications, or just flat-out false information. To arm ourselves for smarter drinking this year, we reached out to Laura Maniec—one of the country’s most respected sommeliers—for help. Here, she debunk some common myths and shows us the way toward enlightened summer wine swilling.

The Expert

After working as a wine and spirits director for 20 restaurants across the country, Maniec returned to her hometown of New York City to open Corkbuzz—equal parts wine bar, school, and events venue—to help people discover and learn about wines and to give them a place to enjoy them afterward. Outside of teaching classes that span the history of Italian wines to pairing wines with take-out foods, Maniec hosts private events, Sunday suppers, and serves 35 wines by the glass at the bar (with food that far exceeds that of a standard wine bar). But all classes aside, Maniec champions the idea that personal taste trumps all rules: “You like what you like.”

As if wine-drinking weren't burdened with enough confusion already, the warm weather brings with it an additional laundry list of half-remembered rules and misunderstood styles. Rosés and Beaujolais are like mindless summer flings, right? And chilling red wine, even when it's hot as hell, is for newbs, isn't it? And what about the old white-with-fish rule—must it dictate my cookout steez all season long?!
Forget what you know: Too many of these accepted notions, it turns out, are based on oversimplifications, or just flat-out false information. To arm ourselves for smarter drinking this year, we reached out to Laura Maniec—one of the country's most respected sommeliers—for help. Here, she debunk some common myths and shows us the way toward enlightened summer wine swilling.

The Expert

Laura Maniec, master sommelier, founder of Manhattan wine studio Corkbuzz Wine Studio, and certified Champagne-and-French fry aficionado.
After working as a wine and spirits director for 20 restaurants across the country, Maniec returned to her hometown of New York City to open Corkbuzz—equal parts wine bar, school, and events venue—to help people discover and learn about wines and to give them a place to enjoy them afterward. Outside of teaching classes that span the history of Italian wines to pairing wines with take-out foods, Maniec hosts private events, Sunday suppers, and serves 35 wines by the glass at the bar (with food that far exceeds that of a standard wine bar). But all classes aside, Maniec champions the idea that personal taste trumps all rules: "You like what you like."

Red wine should only be served at room temperature.

False.

Maniec says: "Yes, the fuller-bodied or older wines you typically want to drink less cold, because you don’t want to lose the their delicate nuances… but we aren’t talking about freezing it. There is nothing wrong with cooling red wine a few degrees to better enjoy it on a hot day. Some reds lend themselves to being chilled better than others—think lighter reds like a Dolcetto, and wines that already have a bright acidity."
Her suggestion: If you don’t have a wine fridge, pop the bottle in your regular refrigerator for 30 to 40 minutes max while you’re getting ready for guests to arrive, or if you’re at the park put it on ice for 10 to 15 minutes.

You should only have white wine with fish.

Mostly false.

Maniec says: "You can absolutely have red wine with fish. It’s more about the flavors than the actual category of protein. You can cut and season meat so it is light enough to compete with some heavier fish, and you can make mushrooms or grill a thick cut of tuna to taste like meat—and the latter totally warrants a bold red wine.”
The myth, however, does come from some kernel of truth: Fish oil and tannins react negatively to one another. "The resulting taste is sometimes referred to as metallic," says Maniec. "A very oily, rich fish like salmon paired with a young Napa Cabernet will make the fish taste more briny and the wine taste more bitter. Then again, it’s also a matter of perspective: In Japan, the most prized fish are the kinds that taste most like the ocean. There, the same pairing is totally acceptable."

Tannins and sulfites cause hangover headaches.

Mostly false.

Maniec says: "Excessive amounts of anything with alcohol, sugar, and additives will negatively affect consumers. That being said, wines that have a higher alcohol content or that have been commercially produced may give you more of a headache, because—with regard to the latter—winemakers need to preserve the integrity of their product for mass markets, which means more sugar, more sulfites, and so on."

White Zinfandel is a variety of Rosè.

False.

Maniec says: "White Zinfandel is thought to be an accident. It is likely that the first White Zinfandel was a result of a stuck fermentation in which the yeast died before they had converted all the sugar into alcohol, and before all the pigment from the skin had colored the wine. Marketing jumped on the idea and branded it, White Zinfandel. Luckily, now it's mostly confined to jugs and boxes labeled ‘blush’ so you can tell the difference."
Needless to say, you will not find White Zinfandel on the menu at Corkbuzz.

Beaujolais is a Jello-like summer wine that lacks complexity.

False.

Maniec says: "Beaujolais are fun, but they are definitely not mindless. They can be a great summer wine, and they can have complexity—some are even age worthy."
Read: Cru Beaujolais. Some varieties don’t fully develop until three years after harvest; premium examples—like Chénas, Juliénas, and Morgon—can develop for up to 10 years in the bottle and continue to reveal nuances which have been comparable in complexity to certain types of Burgundy.

Wine is best paired with refined cuisine.

False.

Maniec says: "Pairing wines with laid-back food, like BBQ, is foolproof. The simpler the ingredients, the simpler the wine pairing can be. The intensity of the ingredients is what you are considering. Now that it’s summertime and you are eating food off the grill, steer away from notes like oak or tons of fruit. It’s like the saying, “Shed your layers.” Choose a simple wine—simplify!"

Maniec says: "Absolutely not. Rosè, in its original style from Provence, is actually bone dry. It is meant to have the flavor and intensity of a red with the temperature and lightness of white. You can make any kind of red—no matter how bold—into a rosè; it’s just a shorter fermentation process of the juice with the grape skins. Similarly, Rieslings—including Australian Riesling, some German wines labeled Trocken and some French and Austrian Rieslings—are fermented bone dry; Lambrusco is often dry as well."
As for summer pairings, Maniec says that Lambrusco goes particularly well with BBQ and other smoked foods: "I had a brisket sandwich and Lambrusco and thought it was one of the best pairings I have had."

Latest News

Now Trending

FIRST WE FEAST participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means FIRST WE FEAST gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive.